Table and support therefor



Jan. 1, 1963 G. 1. SPADARO TABLE AND SUPPORT THEREFOR m m m m 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

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Filed Aug. 1, 1960 Jan. 1, 1963 Filed Au 1, 1960 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a I- m a a z 5 2 2 4 x j. w 1 4 a i x 5 2 w a y x; L v x #2 m y 2 g I I INVENTOR. %Ww

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent ()fiice 3,071,423 Patented Jan. 1, 1963 3,071,423 TABLE AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Giorgio I. Spadaro, Northfield, 111., assignor to Acme- Lite Manufacturing Co., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 46,790 6 Claims. (Cl. 311-83) This invention relates to a table and support therefor and more particularly relates to a folding table and support therefor, and still more particularly this invention relates to a support table for slide or film projectors and the like.

One object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive folding table and support therefor which is characterized by the fact that the table, when unfolded, is rigid and stands level, and when folded provides a novel, compact and relatively flat folding arrangement.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a table which is particularly adapted for use with slide or film projectors and the like.

Heretofore, the tables that have been used to provide support for slide or film projectors have been Whatever has been available, such as card tables, end tables, or the like. It is believed that the requirements of slide projecting and film projecting demand a table that is specially designed to provide certain of the conveniences desired in relation to film and slide projecting. Thus, it is desirable that power connections be made to the slide or film projector as close to the table as possible, so as to centrally locate as many electrical connections as possible. Further, it is desirable upon occasion to illuminate the slide or film projector without lighting up the entire room in which the projector is located. And still further it is frequently desirable to provide an inconspicuous light means for advance viewing of the slide that is to be entered into the projector.

Thus, an object of this invention is to provide a table that carries thereon an electric service connection to which the service cord of an electrically energized device may be selectively connected.

And another object of this invention is to provide a table having concealed illuminating means therein which may be exposed when desired to provide for selective illumination of a device supported on the table.

A further object of this invention is to provide a table having unobtrusive slide viewing means carried thereon.

In the providing of folding tables, the most stable of all supports is a tripod support, but unfortunately tripod supports are peculiarly difficult to incorporate into folding table constructions.

It is, accordingly, still a further object of this invention to provide a novel folding tripod support for a folding table wherein the legs of the tripod are formed by a harp that provides two legs for the support and a staff that provides the third leg of the support.

And another object of this invention is to provide a three-legged support for a folding table which, when in a first position, provides a first tripod support for the table in an unfolded attitude and, when in a second position, provides a second tripod support for the table in a folded attitude.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a modular folding tripod support wherein the legs of the tripod are governed for their movement along predetermined paths to provide a first tripod support for rigidly presenting a support panel at a horizontal attitude and to provide a second tripod support for disposing the support panel and support legs at a folded attitude relative to said first attitude.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of folding table of this invention with the table disposed in unfolded condition for supporting a slide or film projector thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation view of the table of FIGURE 1 in folded condition;

, FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the leg arrangement of the table when in the attitude of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section through the electric service box on the table and is taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation view of the underside of the folded table and is taken looking from the left of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section that is taken substantially on line 6-6 of FIGURE 1, and also illustrating in dot-dash lines the alternate position of the legs of the tripod relative to the support panel when in the folded condition; and 1 FIGURE 6A is a fragmentary cross-section view taken on line 6A--6A of FIGURE 6.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG- URE l a table 10 that includes a table top, generally indicated at 12, and a tripod support therefor, generally indicated at 14. As illustrated by the dot-dash lines in FIG: URE 1, a slide projector 16, or the like, is adapted to be positioned upon the table top 12 when the table is being used as a support for a slide or film projector.

In order to describe the foldable features of the device of FIGURE 1, reference is first made to a foldable modular unit that is part of table 10 and which includes a support panel means to which the legs of the tripod support are connected, The modular unit conveniently permits of use of selected types of table tops 'with the folding support. The support panel means of the modular unit is best seen in FIGURES 5 and 6, and includes a generally square support panel 18, made of sheet metal or the like, and having defined therein a plurality of r-igidifying depressions 20 at the corners and in the center of the panel 18, and an enlongated depression 21. The support panel 18 provides mounting flanges 22 along three of its edges which are adapted to be secured, by welding or the like, to the underside of the table top 12. The fourth edge of the panel 18 'is'formed to define an elongated strip 24 of arcuate, or saddle-shaped, crosssection as seen in FIGURE 6 and having a pair of spaced tabs 26 extending therefrom.

The saddle 24 is adapted to pivotally receive therein the connecting portion, or bight, of a U-shaped part, that is called a harp and which is generally indicated at 28. The arcuate saddle 24 thereby serves as part of the journal means for accommodating pivoting of harp 28 between folded and unfolded positions. The remainder of the journal means for harp 23 is provided by a pair of elon gated strap members 30 which are shaped to define ar'c'uate portions for journal engagement with the bight portion of harp 28, and having a laterally enlarged connector head 31 at one end of strap as for connection to the support panel 18, and a tab 30a at the other end of strap 30 adapted to be located in spaced relation to a tab 26 to provide for clamping of the straps .30 against the bight of harp 28 by means of clamping screws 32.

The support panel 18 is provided with a pair of T shaped apertures 34 for cooperation with the straps 30. The cross-bar portion of each aperture 34 permits of entrance thereinto of a laterally enlarged head 31, and a reduced portion of strap 30- enters the upright leg of the T-shaped aperture 34 to locate the connector head 31 of each strap 30 to the side of panel 18 opposite to the remainder of strap 30, to thereby provide for desired clamping by straps 30. The spaced journal straps 30 being located at the ends of the straight portion of the harps bight cooperate with the corner bends of the harp to limit any tendency of the harp to shift axially of the harps bight.

In the central portion of the panel 18, there is provided a pair of depending flanges 36 which may conveniently be punched from the material of the panel 18 and then bent downwardly in spaced relation. The spaced flanges 36 carry therein a pivot pin 38 which is disposed so that its axis is parallel to the pivot axis of harp 28. A pair of elongated toggle links 40 are pivotally connected at one end to pin 38 and pivotally connected at their other ends to a second pivot pin 42 which is carried by an elongated single leg member, generally indicated at 44 and known as the staff.

In the modular unit, the support panel 18 has rigidly welded thereto an abutment, or stop means, generally indicated at 46, which extends downwardly from the panel 18 and is shaped to define an angled stud 48 that is positioned to be engaged by the staff 44 in the unfolded attitude as hereinafter described.

The shape of the harp 28 is best seen in FIGURES 3 and and includes a pair of elongated legs 50 interconnected by a connecting portion, or bight, 52. The legs 50 each includes an upper portion 54 which incline inwardly toward each other from the connecting portion 52 to an elbow 56, at which point the arms 50 are spaced closely to each other to define a constricted portion of the harp. The legs 58 then extend downwardly and divergently outwardly in their lower portions 58, the lower ends of which carry non-scuff tips 60 of rubber or the like.

The lower terminal portions of the legs of the harp are indicated at 58a in FIGURES l and 3, and these terminal portions are seen to be bent to an attitude that is transverse to the remainder of the lower leg portions 58. The purpose of the latter feature provides that when the legs are in the unfolded attitude, as seen in FIGURES 1 and 3, then said terminal portions 58a of the legs 50 are disposed substantially vertical; and when the legs 50 are in the folded condition, then the terminal portions 58a, as best seen in FIGURE 2, extend transversely to the vertical plane in which the leg portions 58 are located.

The elongated staff 44 is pivotally mounted upon a bolt pin 62 at a point intermediate its ends and between the pair of legs 50 of the harp 28 at the constricted portion of the harp. The axis of the elongated bolt pin 62 is disposed parallel to the pivot axis of the bight of harp 28, and the pin extends through the legs 50. A saddle 64 is carried on pin 62 with the legs of the saddle disposed respectively between each of the legs 50 and the staff 44, and with the bight of the saddle embracing and seating the underside of the staff 44, in the manner as best seen in FIGURES l and 3.

The staff 44 provides an upper portion 66 above pin 62 and a lower portion 68 below the pin 62. The link means 40 are pivotally connected to upper portion 66 between the ends thereof. The lower terminal segment of portion 68 is bent as at 68a to define a vertically extending part when the legs 50 and 44 are in the unfolded condition, as seen in FIGURES 1 and 3, and a transversely extending part as best seen in FIGURE 2, when the legs 50 and 44 are in their folded condition.

The upper portion of the staff 44 engages and cooperates with the stud 48 on the stop 46 to provide a rigid connection therebetween when the table is in unfolded condition as seen in FIGURES l and 3. Preferably, one of the said two cooperating parts is tubular and the other part is adapted to enter the tubular part to provide such rigid connection. In the preferred form, the upper end of staff 44 is tubular and the stud 48 is adapted to enter the open end of tubular staff 44 to rigidly engage therewith, so as to rigidly position the support panel 18 on the tripod support therefor and to reduce tendency of lateral wobble between the parts. The pivot links 40 also cooperate between the staff 44 and panel means 18 to reduce lateral wobble, and the saddle 64 still further serves as rigidifying means to limit lateral wobble of the tripod support.

In the preferred construction the harp 28 and staff 44 are tubular parts. The harp 28 may conveniently be formed of two similar bent tubes that are joined together at the midpoint of the harps bight.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the pair of legs 58' of harp 28 are connected to the support panel means 18 for pivoting about a first axis, the axis of the harps bight, so as to permit of relative movement between the support panel 18 and the harp 28 between the unfolded position of FIGURE 1 and folded position of FIGURE 2. The third leg of the tripod support, the staff 44, is pivoted intermediate its ends to the legs of the harp for pivoting about a second axis, the axis of pin 62, that is parallel to and spaced from the said first axis about which the legs 50 pivot. The rigidly mounted abutment means 46 is positioned to be engaged by the upper end of the staff 44 in an unfolded position, so that the three legs of the harp and staff, when supported on a horizontal support, will stably maintain the support panel 18 in a substantially horizontal plane, as seen in FIGURE 1.

The staff 44 is swingable from the first, or unfolded, position seen in full lines in FIGURE 6 to a second, or folded, position shown by dot-dash lines in FIGURE 6. The elongated depression 21 between the harps bight 52 and the tabs 26 affords clearance for the upper end of staff 44 as it swings from the full-line position to the dotdash line position. In the folded position the upper portion 66 of staff 44 will lie substantially in the plane defined by the said axes of the harps bight and of the pivot pin 62. This arrangement permits of the swinging of the support panel means 18 to a folded position relative to the folded legs, wherein the included angle between the support panel means 18 and the said plane through the two pivot axes is very small, so that the tripod support, whcn folded, will locate the support panel 18 in slightly inclined condition relative to the upper portions of the three legs, as best seen in FIGURE 2.

It will be observed that the staff 44, in swinging from the full-line position to the dot-dash line position, as seen in FIGURE 6, is restrained by the toggle link means 40. and this automatically insures that the range of swing of the staff 44 is between the two selected positions.

By the arrangement thus defined, it will be seen that the lower ends of the legs of the tripod, when the device is unfolded, will engage a support surface at the apices of a relatively large triangle, as seen in FIGURES 1 and 3, and when in the folded condition, the lower ends of the legs will engage a support surface at the apices of a relatively small triangle, as seen in FIGURE 2. The leg segments 58a and 68a extend transversely of the vertical plane through the remainder of the legs so that said portions of the legs also serve as a tripod support for the folded device, as seen in FIGURE 2.

Another feature that obtains in the construction described lies in the manner of folding the device from the condition of FIGURE 1 to that in FIGURE 2. If one grasps the unfolded table top 12 at the left and right edges, as seen in FIGURE 2, and lifts upwardly maintaining the single leg 68 in engagement with the supporting surface, and then lifts the right edge of top 12 upwardly using the left hand of the table top as a fulcrum, the stud 48 will be withdrawn from staff 44. Then by tilting the table further about staff 44 and swinging the top 12 down, the harps legs 58 will be swung past leg 68 to the position seen in FIGURE 2. Thus the table may be brought to folded position by manipulation of the elevated top, and thereby eliminates bending or other inconvenient body actions incident to most folding operations.

In the preferred form of device shown, the type of table top that is secured to the flanges 22 of the support panel 18 is a sheet metal member 70 that is appropriately shaped, by stamping or the like, to define an upstanding peripheral rim 72 and a downwardly extending edge flange 74. An extruded polyethylene trim strip 76 may be press-fit onto the lower terminus of flange 74, to protect against rough edges. Preferably, a scuif-proof, washable, and decorative overlay is adhesively secured to the upper side of table top 12 inwardly of the rim 72.

A sheet metal electric service box 78 is shown secured to an edge portion of the table top 12, which is spaced laterally of the support panel means 18. The greater portion of the service box 78 extends below the table top 72, and is located laterally of the tripod support means 14 at all times when the table is folded or unfolded, as can best be seen by reference to FIGURE 5. Projecting laterally of the box 78, and located inwardly of and below the flange 74 of the table top, are a pair of oppositely extending lugs 80 upon which an elongated electric service cord 81 may be wound for purposes of storage. The cord 81 enters through the bottom side of the service box 7 8 and is adapted to be appropriately connected to a plurality of service-plug-receiving outlets 82 that are carried by an upright side 83 of service box 78 and are disposed laterally of the table top 12, as best seen in FIG- URE l.

The box 78 is a hollow one having an open top which is adapted to be closed by a removable escutcheon plate 84 that is, preferably, molded from plastic and which is adapted to be secured to the box 78, for example, by spaced lugs 84:: which extend inwardly of openings 85 defined in the upright side 83 of box 78, and by screw means 36 which connect to an upper flange 37 on the box 78. The escutcheon 84, is apertured to permit outlets 82 to extend therethrough. The escutcheon plate 84 has an enlarged aperture 88 in its upper side into which is fitted a pivotally mounted movable light carrier 90 that is formed of plastic or the like.

The light carrier 99 includes a translucent panel 92 and a transversely extending side M, the edges of which are interconnected by a pair of spaced flanges 96, upon one of which is mounted a light bulb 98 that may be electrically connected to an electrical means within the service box 78, that is energized by the service cord 81. The free edge of panel 92 has an outwardly extending flange 1&0 which permits of manual engagement to selectively move the member $6) from the normal, lightconcealing position within the service box, as shown in full lines in FIGURE 4, to the service position shown in dot-dash lines in FIGURE 4. In the normal posi tion, the panel @2 is substantially at the same level as the table top, and the flange 104 extends upwardly therefrom to permit of grasping thereof to move the carrier 94 as desired. In the service position, the light 98 is disposed above the level of the upper side of the table top 12. so as to illuminate the projector 16 that is positioned alongside the box 78. The direct illumination by light bulb 98 permits of servicing the projector 16, if servicing is required, without the necessity of illuminating the entire room in which the projector is located. When the member 96 is swung to the full-line position, the light 98 is concealed, so as not to disturb the people sitting adjacent the projector table, but the translucent side 92, being exposed to light 98, may remain selectively illuminated so that a slide held thereover may be unobtrusively viewed by the operator of the projector.

A switch is preferably provided in series with light 98 so that energization of light 98 may be selectively controlled by manipulation of switch button 102. Means are provided for maintaining the member 90 in the dot- 6 dash line position of FIGURE 4, and these means include the projecting tab 104 on escutcheon plate 84 that is adapted to enter a recess 106 formed in the side 92, while recesses 108 in the spaced flanges 96 are arranged to releasably receive the projecting edge 110 of the escutcheon plate.

While the device herein disclosed is particularly suitable for use as a supporting table for film and slide projectors it will be understood that the table has may other uses. For example, it may be used as a table adjacent a sick bed, and when so used the concealed light is particularly useful if medicines are to be taken at night. The service box is also very useful as providing a plurality of electrical outlets for appliances that may be supported on the table.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A foldable tripod support comprising, in combination: support panel means, a pair of first elongated legs connected to said support panel means for pivoting about a common axis adjacent said panel means to efiect relative movement between said panel means and said first legs between folded and unfolded positions, a third elongated leg having an open, tubular, upper end, and which third leg is pivoted at a point intermediate its ends to said pair of first legs about a second axis parallel to and spaced from said common axis, abutment means including a stud rigidly mounted relative to said support panel means and positioned to be engaged by said third leg at an unfolded first position wherein said stud enters said upper tubular end of said third leg and wherein, with the three legs supported on a horizontal support, the support panel means will be stably disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, and elongated restraining link means pivoted at its ends and arranged for limiting the range of pivoting of said third leg for insuring that said third leg engages said abutment means and receives therein said stud when the tripod support is unfolded, one pivoted end of said link means being anchored to said support panel means and the other pivoted end of said link means being anchored to said third leg at a point between its uppermost end and said second axis.

2. A foldable table comprising, in combination: support panel means, and a tripod support means foldably connected to said support panel means and arranged for relatively rigidly supporting said support panel means in a level condition when the foldable table is unfolded, said tripod support means including a harp defining a pair of elongated arms and a connecting portion, the lower portions of the harps arm diverging outwardly to define two of the legs of the tripod, the connecting portion of the harp being pivoted in spaced journals that are rigidly connected to said support panel means, an elongated staif pivotally mounted on the harp between the arms thereof, the lower end of the staff being the third leg of the tripod and the upper end of the staff being adapted torigidly engage a stop that is connected to said support panel means, and one of said cooperating stop and said upper end of the staff being a tubular part and the other thereof being a stud to enter the tubular part to rigidly position the support panel means on the tripod support means.

3. A foldable table comprising, in combination: support panel means, and a tripod support means foldably connected to said support panel means and arranged for relatively rigidly supporting said support panel means in a level condition when the foldable table is unfolded,

said tripod support means including a harp defining a pair of elongated arms and a connecting portion, the lower portions of the harps arms diverging outwardly to define two of the legs of the tripod, the connecting portion of the harp being pivoted in spaced journals that are rigidly mounted relative to said support panel means, an elongated staff pivotally mounted on the harp between the arms thereof, the lower end of the staff being the third leg of the tripod and the upper end of the staff being adapted to rigidly engage a stop that is connected to said support panel means, one of said cooperating stop and upper end of the staff being a tubular part and the other thereof being a stud inclined relative to said support panel means and arranged to enter said tubular part, and stabilizing means separate from said cooperating tubular part and stud for limiting lateral wobble of the staff, said stabilizing means including pivot link means interconnecting the staff and the support panel means.

4. A foldable table comprising, in combination: support panel means, and a tripod support means foldably connected to said support panel means and arranged for relatively rigidly supporting said support panel means in a level condition when the foldable table is unfolded, said tripod support means including a harp defining a pair of elongated arms and a connecting portion, the lower portions of the harps arms diverging outwardly to define two of the legs of the tripod, the connecting portion of the harp being pivoted in spaced journals that are rigidly mounted relative to said support panel means, an elongated staff pivotally mounted on the harp between the arms thereof, the lower end of the staff being the third leg of the tripod and the upper end of the staff being adapted to rigidly engage a stop that is connected to said support panel means, and stabilizing means spaced from said stop for limiting lateral wobble of the staff, said stabilizing means including the harp having a constricted region between the upper and lower ends thereof which brings portions of the harps arms closely adjacent the staff on opposite sides thereof, the staff being pivotally connected to the harp at said constricted region, and an elongated saddle positioned between the harps arms and seatingly receiving the staff therein.

5. A concealed light for use with a projector-supporting table that includes: a table top, and an electric servicebox secured to said table top along an edge thereof and extending therebelow and providing at least one electric service connection laterally of the table top; said concealed light comprising movable light means normally positioned within said service-box and being selectively freely pivotable from a concealed gravity-maintained position within said light-box to a service position above the level of the upper side of the table top to illuminate a projector supported on said table top, and releasable latch means on said movable light means for selectively maintaining said light means in said service position, said latch means including releasably interengaging tongue and notch elements with one of said elements carried on said service-box and the other of said elements on the movable light means.

6. A concealed light for use with a projector-supporting table that includes: a table top, and an electric servicebox secured to said table top along an edge thereof and extending therebelow and providing at least one electric service connection laterally of the table top; said concealed light comprising movable light means normally positioned within said service-box and being selectively freely pivotable from a concealed gravity-maintained position within said light-box to a service position above the level of the upper side of the table top to illuminate a projector supported on said table top, and releasable latch means on said movable light means for selectively maintaining said light means in said service position, said latch means including releasably interengaging tongue and notch elements with one of said elements carried on said service-box and the other of said elements on the movable light means, and a translucent panel exposed to said light means a bounding the service-box and located substantially at the same level as the table top, to provide unobstrusive viewing means for slides and the like when the light means is in its concealed position within the service-box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 706,675 Mack Aug. 12, 1902 2,218,395 Hallbauer Oct. 15, 1940 2,733,971 House Feb. 7, 1956 2,871,075 Stone a- Jan. 27, 1959 

1. A FOLDABLE TRIPOD SUPPORT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: SUPPORT PANEL MEANS, A PAIR OF FIRST ELONGATED LEGS CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT PANEL MEANS FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A COMMON AXIS ADJACENT SAID PANEL MEANS TO EFFECT RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID PANEL MEANS AND SAID FIRST LEGS BETWEEN FOLDED AND UNFOLDED POSITIONS, A THIRD ELONGATED LEG HAVING AN OPEN, TUBULAR, UPPER END, AND WHICH THIRD LEG IS PIVOTED AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS TO SAID PAIR OF FIRST LEGS ABOUT A SECOND AXIS PARALLEL TO AND SPACED FROM SAID COMMON AXIS, ABUTMENT MEANS INCLUDING A STUD RIGIDLY MOUNTED RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT PANEL MEANS AND POSITIONED TO BE ENGAGED BY SAID THIRD LEG AT AN UNFOLDED FIRST POSITION WHEREIN SAID STUD ENTERS SAID UPPER TUBULAR END OF SAID THIRD LEG AND WHEREIN, WITH THE THREE LEGS SUPPORTED ON A HORIZONTAL SUPPORT, THE SUPPORT PANEL MEANS WILL BE STABLY DISPOSED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE, AND ELONGATED RESTRAINING LINK MEANS PIVOTED AT ITS ENDS AND ARRANGED FOR LIMITING THE RANGE OF PIVOTING OF SAID THIRD LEG FOR INSURING THAT SAID THIRD LEG ENGAGES SAID ABUTMENT MEANS AND RECEIVES THEREIN SAID STUD WHEN THE TRIPOD SUPPORT IS UNFOLDED, ONE PIVOTED END OF SAID LINK MEANS BEING ANCHORED TO SAID SUPPORT PANEL MEANS AND THE OTHER PIVOTED END OF SAID LINK MEANS BEING ANCHORED TO SAID THIRD LEG AT A POINT BETWEEN ITS UPPERMOST END AND SAID SECOND AXIS. 